


Yotsuba & the Aquarium

by oneill



Category: Yotsuba to! | Yotsuba&!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-02
Updated: 2013-09-02
Packaged: 2017-12-25 09:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/951395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneill/pseuds/oneill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the fic_promptly prompt: Yotsuba&!, Yotsuba, collections</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yotsuba & the Aquarium

At the end of their visit to the aquarium, Koiwai led Yotsuba to the shop so he could pick up a few souvenirs for Jumbo and the Ayases. After a moment's thought, he handed Yotsuba some money to pick out something for herself.

A family of plush penguins immediately caught her attention, as did a small coffee mug that featured a pod of dolphins. Ultimately, however, it was the assortment of miniature sea life figurines that won the day. They were molded from soft plastic and packed in a see-through box that fit easily in Yotsuba's hand and flexed under her eager grip.

She dashed to the checkout counter, pursued by Koiwai's weary admonition not to run.

The young woman at the counter started when a small fist appeared out of nowhere to slam a few crumpled bills on the counter. A matching fist followed shortly after, this one bearing the figurine assortment. Then, two tufts of green hair rose shakily behind them as Yotsuba struggled up the shelves that lined the counter's front, hauling herself up just enough to look the lady in the eyes.

"I'm buying this," Yotsuba announced seriously.

"Oh, I see." The young woman beamed and reached for the box. "Good choice. This is one of my favorites, you know."

"I'm buying it myself."

"Yes, that's very grown-up of you."

Yotsuba shoved the money across the counter. "This isn't counterfeit or anything."

"Eh? Ah, that's very reassuring."

Mortified, Koiwai rushed over to pluck Yotsuba up by her armpits, then dipped her down to join him in an apologetic bow. Where had she even learned that word? The young woman assured him that it was quite all right, and wasn't his daughter just so adorable and independent? Even so, Koiwai felt compelled to offer one last little bow as he and Yotsuba gathered their respective purchases and left the shop.

 

That night, after Yotsuba had gone to bed, Koiwai walked into the kitchen to find the counter littered with dishes, every one of them brimming with water. On closer inspection, he found that this rice bowl housed a tiny blue whale, that one a manta ray, and the one against the wall had a sea turtle. He found an octopus in a tea cup, a walrus and a mako shark in paired coffee mugs, and a seal wading in a shallow sauce bowl. Of course, these makeshift tanks all rested in a shared puddle of water, which covered the counter and dripped down to the floor in a steady _plip plop plip plop_.

Sighing, Koiwai dumped the water out of the dishes one at a time and stacked them in the sink, and then he dug out a couple of towels to mop up the spill. That done, his glance fell upon the sea life figurines, piled up on the drainboard.

He had to admit, they looked a little sad.

After a brief internal debate, he wandered off to the closet, lifted down an empty bucket, and carried it back to the kitchen. After filling it halfway with water, he scooped up the miniatures and dumped them all in. As an afterthought, he reached back into the bucket and arranged them more carefully--putting the seal and the walrus side-by-side on an overturned rice bowl, so they would be able to breathe; placing the octopus and the sea turtle just a little way off from them; and making sure to put the mako shark at a suitable distance from all the others.

Koiwai carried the little aquarium over to the kitchen table and set it down. He stood and contemplated it, his hands on his hips. Well, as long as he made sure to change the water twice a day, probably nothing would grow in it, right?

Shrugging, he crossed the kitchen and turned out the light.


End file.
